1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for baking a dessert in an automated household oven using steam.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some types of desserts, especially delicate desserts, such as crème brulée and cheesecakes, benefit from steam baking. Introduction of steam into the baking cavity adds moisture to the dessert and slows down the cooking rate of the dessert to facilitate uniform heating and cooking. Steam acts as insulator or buffer to facilitate good heat transfer throughout the dessert. As a result, the steam prevents the outside of the dessert from overcooking and the inside of the dessert from undercooking.
Ovens found in most homes today are usually not equipped with a system to introduce steam into the oven cavity during the dessert baking process. In response, bakers have developed several home remedies for supplying steam into the oven cavity. Such remedies include surrounding the dessert with a water bath, placing a pan in the oven before preheating and filling the pan with water when placing the dessert in the oven, spraying water onto the walls of the oven with a spray bottle after the placing the dessert in the oven, and throwing ice cubes on the bottom of the oven to create steam. Another method involves forming holes in the bottom of a muffin tin, placing the tin on the bottom rack of the oven, filling the tin with boiling water about a minute before putting the dessert in the oven so the water drips onto the bottom of the oven and creates steam, and removing the tin after about five to ten minutes.
While the home remedies succeed at introducing steam into the oven cavity, they are relatively unpredictable and inconvenient. The water or ice introduced into the oven cavity vaporizes to create steam, which fills the oven cavity. The amount of steam in the oven can be quantified as a relative humidity, and the degree of relative humidity affects the dessert baking process. Because the water or ice is manually introduced, the quantity of steam and, therefore, the relative humidity, are not regulated, and, further, the relative humidity is not regulated as a function of the cooking cycle time. As a result, the relative humidity in the oven cavity can differ from ideal conditions at various times during the baking process. Further, some the methods can require the baker to periodically check on the dessert and add more water or ice to the cavity if necessary. This process can be inconvenient to a baker who desires to leave the dessert unattended after placing the dessert in the oven. Some higher end contemporary ovens incorporate an automated steam generating system that can be used to bake the dessert. These ovens eliminate the need for the baker to manually introduce water or ice into the cavity.